Elversberg vs Heidenheim

With the scores tied after the first leg of the Bundesliga relegation playoff, Heidenheim, the away side, aim to secure their top-flight status as they face 2. Bundesliga team Elversberg at Waldstadion an der Kaiserlinde on Monday.

In the first leg on May 22, Elversberg let a two-goal advantage slip, resulting in a 2-2 draw, with Tim Siersleben and Mathias Honsak scoring in the second half to level the match for Heidenheim. The home side dominated early, creating four significant scoring opportunities in the first half, but their recurring defensive frailties were evident.

Elversberg have struggled defensively, managing only one clean sheet in their last seven games across all competitions, though they’ve scored an impressive 15 goals during that stretch.

Having never competed above Germany’s third tier before 2023, they’ve faced challenges against top-flight teams, losing three and drawing one of their last four matches against Bundesliga opposition.

Despite this, Elversberg’s head coach Horst Steffen remains optimistic about promotion, buoyed by his team’s nine-game unbeaten run, which includes five victories. At home, they’ve been solid, losing just one of their last seven matches at Waldstadion, with four wins in that span, though their recent home form includes one loss and one draw in their last four.

Heidenheim, meanwhile, failed to create any major chances in the first half of the first leg but turned things around after the break, generating five big opportunities while limiting Elversberg to one. Manager Frank Schmidt will be wary of his team’s recent defensive record, having conceded six goals in their last two games, though they kept three consecutive clean sheets before that.

Heidenheim have been in good attacking form, scoring six goals in their last three matches—matching their total from the previous nine. They’ve been resilient lately, winning two of their last five games and losing only once. Their away form is particularly strong, with four wins and one loss in their last seven road matches.